The lawmaker shared his thoughts on a number of issues surrounding the debate, including an activist who protested to protect abortions in Tennessee. He went on to suggest that the activist's beliefs may have been influenced by her college education.

"If there's one thing that we can do to save America today, it's to get rid of our institutions of higher education right now and cut the liberal breeding ground off! Good grief!" Roberts said.

Roberts, who earlier this year voted on a state budget that would fund public colleges with state taxes dollars, later said the comments were meant as a joke. The senator shared a Facebook post on Monday addressing the comments, along with a screenshot of the dictionary definition of the word "hyperbole."

"A week ago, I went on a rant on The Kerry Roberts Show calling out higher education as a liberal breeding ground and calling for its elimination. My listeners clearly understood the humor and hyperbole of it," the post said.

"Conservative parents are often spending (or borrowing) tens if not hundreds of thousands of dollars to participate in an elaborate bait and switch," he also said in Tuesday's statement. "They sign up their children for education and advancement and instead receive intimidation and indoctrination."